


Thunderrod Week

by Lush_Specimen



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25521586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lush_Specimen/pseuds/Lush_Specimen
Summary: Rodimus/Thunderclash fluff times!! I decided to give myself a theme for all the week's prompts: Slice of Life! Those classic filler episodes that don't  advance the plot but focus on sweet character interactions. You know the ones: the beach trip, the snow day, the summer festival. We're doing it all!!The daily prompts for each chapter:1. Star2. Build3. Ropes4. Ember5. Fair6. Royal7. AdoreBuckle up, buttercup! It's about to get cute!!
Relationships: Drift | Deadlock & Rodimus | Rodimus Prime, Drift | Deadlock/Ratchet, Rodimus/Thunderclash, Thunderclash & Riptide
Comments: 114
Kudos: 60
Collections: ThunderRod Week 2020





	1. Star

**Author's Note:**

> Thunderclash draws comfort from his Rodimus Star after a nightmare

Thunderclash jolted upright. He blinked rapidly, relieved as his optics gradually focused on the familiar details of his own habsuite on the Lost Light. He dragged one palm down his face. Another vaguely threatening nightmare he couldn’t quite recall... 

When this first happened, Thunderclash sought Velocity’s professional opinion. Nightmares had never troubled him before. And if they did, he always remembered every terrible image in vivid detail. After a full systems analysis, she informed him that it was likely an after effect of the physically induced memory loop that kept him comatose during Getaway’s mutiny. 

Lotty hypothesized that the nightmares would decrease as his brain finished repairing the broken memory links that Sunder used to trap him reliving the same day over and over again. Her confidence gave him hope. Thunderclash thanked her and resolved to deal with the nightmares on his own. After all, he shamefully thought, he brought them on himself by agreeing to go along with Getaway’s plan to get rid of Megatron in the first place. 

His spark ached. He absent-mindedly rubbed his chest. Something barely on the edge of his memory gnawed at him. Despite being on a ship filled with hundreds of crew members, he felt crushingly alone. 

Seeking some familiar comfort, Thunderclash eased open his chest plate and pulled out a small item that he kept tucked away. He turned the golden object over in his hands and smiled. Nothing could ever trouble him when he basked in its warm metallic glow. 

His Rodimus Star. 

Unlike the rest of the medals displayed in his magnetic case on the wall, this medal was made specifically for him. His other medals for bravery, courage under fire, distinguished valor... anyone could have won them. In fact, there were so many people that deserved those awards far more than he did. But his Rodimus Star was his and his alone. 

Thunderclash turned the medal over and read the flowing handwriting engraved in the back. “For Surviving You Own Funeral.” 

He chuckled. While Lotty found the message flippant at best, Thunderclash loved it. Rodimus never shied away from anything. Everyone knew Thunderclash nearly died the day that Rodimus saved him from the personality ticks, but no one else ever mentioned it. 

When he woke up in the medibay on the Lost Light and found this medal propped up on the small table next to his berth, it instantly lifted his spirits. Not only because it meant that Rodimus visited him, but he also handcrafted this unique award specifically for him. How many other people could say that they survived their own funeral? 

He appreciated the wording too. As a survivor of terrible things himself, Rodimus knew where to place the focus. The medal said, “for surviving.” Thunderclash took it as visible proof that his spark burned brighter than the darkness that he endured. He carried it with him everywhere and drew strength from its message and its creator. 

Thunderclash ran his fingers along the raised outline of Rodimus’ face. He imagined Rodimus practicing expressions in a mirror as he worked to capture his smirk just right- 

SWISH! The door to Thunderclash’s hab flew open unexpectedly. 

“AHHHH!” Thunderclash screamed. He instinctively clutched his Rodimus Star to his chest, protecting it with both hands. 

A red and gold blur rolled into the room. 

“Heeeeere’s Roddy!” Rodimus finished his somersault and sprang to his feet with a flourish. 

“HOLY PRIMUS!” Thunderclash yelped, still clinging to his medal. “RODDY! You scared the scrap out of me!” 

“The door was unlocked.” Rodimus shrugged and sauntered over. 

“Yeah, but-” 

“Whatcha got in your hands?” Rodimus pounced on him. “Show me! Show me! Show me!” 

“Umm...” Thunderclash cheeks warmed to a soft pink glow. He gripped his Star a little tighter. 

“Come on! Pleeeease!” Rodimus whined. His spoiler bounced. 

“Fine!” Thunderclash rolled his optics. The spoiler bounce was just too cute. It got him every time. Rodimus knew exactly how to get his way. 

Rodimus leaned close as Thunderclash slowly revealed the gleaming golden medal clasped in his large cobalt hands. The speedster’s brilliant blue optics widened. 

“Your Rodimus Star?! So, you DID keep it.” 

“What?!” Thunderclash sputtered. How could Rodimus think so little of his gift that brought Thunderclash such comfort. “Of course, I kept it! I keep it with me all the time.” 

“Wait... You keep it with you?!” Rodimus stared at him. “Like? On your person?” 

Thunderclash shifted. His blush intensified until it felt like his whole frame must be glowing. 

“When I never seen it your case,” Rodimus nodded to the display mounted on the wall, “I thought maybe, you got rid of it.” 

“N-no! I would never!” Thunderclash gasped. “My Rodimus Star means so much to me! All those other medals, anyone could have received them. But this one,” Thunderclash tilted the Star so it caught the dim light filtering in through the open door, “this one is mine and mine alone.” 

“Quit messing with me.” Rodimus playfully shoved him. Thunderclash recognized the speedster’s classic deflective defense mechanism: If everything’s a joke, nothing can hurt. 

“I am dead serious.” Despite feeling like he might spontaneously combust, Thunderclash held Rodimus’ gaze. “I keep it in here, next to my spark.” Thunderclash thumped the winged autobrand painted on his chest. “Knowing that you cared enough to make this especially for me, gives me comfort. The message on the back gives me strength.” 

“Really?” Rodimus asked hopefully. He searched Thunderclash’s face for any hint of jest or insincerity. 

“Really.” Thunderclash answered with a smile. “For example, whenever a nightmare disturbs my recharge, I take out my Rodimus Star-” 

“Nightmares?” Rodimus cut him off. 

Thunderclash bit his lip. He didn’t mean to mention that. The nightmares are his problem. He can deal with them alone. 

“What do you mean nightmare? Is that why you’re up in the middle of the night?” Rodimus narrowed his optics. 

“I- uh- well- Why are YOU up in the middle of the night?” 

“First of all, you can’t answer my question with another question. That’s like against the rules or something.” Rodimus jabbed a golden finger at Thunderclash’s chest. “And second, I traded Megatron for late shift on the bridge tonight because he’s hosting an all-night poetry slam at Swerve’s. We’re about to pass a super cool nebula. It’s a billion shades of blue with bits of gold and pink thrown in for good measure. It reminded me of you, so I wanted you to come and watch it with me.” 

“Wow. Cool.” Thunderclash slowly smiled as Rodimus pulled him to his feet. “I’d love that.” 

“Good! Because I’d love it too!” Rodimus wrapped an arm around his waist as they headed for the door. “And while we’re watching the stars, you can tell me about the nightmares that are bothering you.” 

Thunderclash winced. He ran his thumb along the raised lines of the Rodimus Star still grasped in his hand. If a medal that Rodimus made could provide so much comfort, the real thing would be so much better. After all, if he could survive his own funeral, he was strong enough to tell Rodimus about his nightmares. Drawing confidence from the flashy speedster snuggled onto his side, Thunderclash smiled. 

“Okay. But first, I want to see this nebula that’s co-opting my color scheme.” 

“Then let’s go!” Rodimus led the way. A mischievous grin spread across his face. “It still looks better on you though.” 

“Not everyone can pull off this look!” Thunderclash grinned. He draped his arm around Rodimus’ shoulders. 

As he strolled down the hall with Rodimus happily chatting at his side and his Rodimus Star’s comforting weight in his hand, the night’s terrors of half-forgotten memories slowly faded away.


	2. Build

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riptide and Drift challenge Rodimus and Thunderclash to a sandcastle contest.
> 
> Beach vacation guest starring Thunder's mutiny buddy, Riptide, and featuring some bonus Dratchet!

Rodimus stretched out on the beach. Two suns blazed overhead, warming his polished vermillion armor. He sighed deeply, practically melting into the fine pink sand, lulled by the gentle sounds of the crashing surf and bursts of jovial laughter. He had to hand it to Riptide: a weeklong beach vacation for the entire ship was a fantastic idea. 

Something eclipsed his basking in the suns’ golden rays. Only a very specific autobot could cast a shadow that large. 

“Hey? Roddy??” A familiar voice whispered. 

There was no mistaking the resonant timbre and adorable tentativeness of Thunderclash’s voice. Rodimus fought the urge to online his optics and stifled a giggle. 

“Are you awake?” 

“You know there’s literally no way to honestly answer that question.” Rodimus lazily replied, still fully committed to his siesta. “If I say no, then I’m obviously lying. But if I say yes, then what was the point of asking.” 

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t want to bother you, but we have a bit of a situation-” 

“A SITUATION?!” Rodimus sat bolt upright and snapped his optics online. 

He scanned the entire beach for signs of trouble, but things appeared fairly normal. A raucous crowd gathered around Swerve’s makeshift tiki bar, several crew members lounged in the sun scattered along the beach, the Scavengers’ volleyball game had devolved into an energetic wrestling match. Whirl flew low along the turquoise waves, towing a Tailgate on a surfboard. The minibot raced through the surf at incredible speed, which looked like a blast. Rodimus wondered if he could convince the helicopter to do the same for him later- 

Focus! Rodimus shook his head. He was the captain! Protecting everyone was his responsibility. He had to find the source of trouble before someone got washed out to sea, or eaten by sharkticons, or- 

“Riptide and Drift said they could build a better sandcastle than us.” Thunderclash interrupted his spiraling worries. The big bot had the uncanny ability to say the perfect thing to help him get back on track. 

“They WHAT?!” Rodimus gasped. 

“A sandcastle.” Thunderclash explained. “It’s sort of like a temporary beach sculpture that only lasts until the tide comes in.” He gestured with his hands, miming the basic castle structure. Rodimus snickered at the comical effect of someone so big and noble taking something as trivial as a sandcastle so super serious. It was super cute! 

“I know what a sandcastle is, but I can’t believe they think they can build anything better than us.” Rodimus whipped around to see Riptide and Drift hard at work on a decent sized sandcastle. They already had several turrets blocked out and an elaborate main tower. When Drift caught him staring, he stuck out his tongue. Rodimus instinctively returned the rude gesture. 

“Oh! It is ON!” Rodimus laughed, leaping to his feet. “Come on, Thunders! Let’s show them how to build a proper sandcastle.” 

“Aw yeah!” Thunderclash whooped. “You two are going down!” 

“We’ll see about that, big buddy!” Riptide teased. “It’s a little-known fact but I am a sandcastle master-builder!” 

“I’m afraid Ripper’s got a point.” Drift added with a predatory smirk, canting his finials back. He carefully molded another parapet with his nimble fingers. “This is one contest that you can’t win! Victory will be ours! Our auras practically radiate positive energy!” 

“Frag off! Auras aside, there’s no such thing as a contest that I can’t win!” Rodimus boasted. 

Drift and Riptide shared a conspiratorial glance and snickered. 

“They’re up to something.” Rodimus muttered, narrowing his optics. While he and Drift could turn virtually anything into a competition, Drift was rarely so braggadocious. Unless he had some secret ace up his sleeve. Then he was unbearable. 

“It doesn’t matter.” Thunderclash shrugged. “We’ll do our best and it’ll be fun either way! Check out the castle that I’ve got started!” 

Thunderclash directed Rodimus to the extremely intricate sandcastle in progress. It already featured several soaring towers complete with delicate flying buttresses. A winding staircase, carefully carved to look like real stone, wound around the entire structure. The pink sand shimmered under the bright sunlight, giving the sculpture an ethereal appearance. 

Rodimus whistled in appreciation. “This is gorgeous!” 

“Thanks!” Thunderclash beamed, brushing some sand from his multicolor frame. Somehow, sand coated his entire chassis. Then again, sand does get places. “But it’s missing something. I need your artistic vision.” 

“You are plenty artistic on your own! Seriously! It looks really good!” 

“Maybe...” Thunderclash met Rodimus’ optics with a shy smile. “But, I’m only half as good on my own compared to when we do something together.” 

“Whoa...” Rodimus blushed. Tiny sparks danced along the edge of his spoiler. The amount of confidence Thunderclash had in his abilities never ceased to amaze him. 

“Sooo...” Thunderclash nudged him with his elbow. “What’s it need?” 

“Hmm...” Rodimus cast a quick glance over at Riptide and Drift to scope out the competition. Their castle was annoyingly impressive, blending both of their unique styles. The jagged spires were likely inspired by the Crystal City, but the overall structure featured smooth undulating curves suggesting an aquatic theme. A sinuous groove circling their castle marked the beginnings of an elaborate moat. They probably planned on filling it with actual water as a special effect. When Riptide noticed him looking, he shifted his position to block Rodimus’ view. 

Rodimus pondered Thunderclash’s design. Much like its sculptor, it was solid, reliable and a touch flamboyant. Rodimus needed to add his personality to their castle. Something unexpected, dynamic and boldly ferocious... 

“A DRAGON!” He exclaimed, his blue optics burning brightly with excitement. “Who needs a damp old moat? Our castle with be protected by a snarling sand dragon!” He dropped to his knees and started piling sand to carve into the mythical monster. 

“WOW! That’s such a cool idea!” Thunderclash followed Rodimus’ lead, enthusiastically heaping sand to create the dragon’s tail protectively wrapping around their castle. “I knew you’d know what to do! You always do!” 

“Thank you.” Rodimus said with sincerity that surprised himself. It felt good to simply accept a compliment instead of brushing it off with a joke. Of course, Thunder’s earnest good nature made it easier too. 

He focused on shaping the shining pink sand into the gaping maw of a fire breathing beast complete with jagged seashell fangs. Thunderclash worked right alongside him, carefully carving diamond scales into the wet sand. Soon a rather impressive fiery dragon rose out of the shapeless mound. 

Cooperating with Thunderclash on a massive sandcastle, Rodimus considered their relationship. He couldn’t help it. While his hands were busy, his mind often wandered. They fit together better than he’d like to admit. When Rodimus struggled with self-doubt, Thunderclash had faith in him. Hell. Thunders believed in Rodimus more than he ever believed in himself. And when Thunderclash felt broken or lonely due to his health issues, Rodimus was right by his side, offering enthusiastic support. Sometimes he worried that it was all too good to be true. That one day, he’d wake up and discover the whole thing was only a dream. 

“What do you think?” Thunderclash asked. 

“About what?” Rodimus optics widened. Thunders’ question snapped him back to reality. What was he asking about? Did he know Rodimus was thinking about their relationship? Was this moment the wake-up call that he’d been dreading?? 

“About the tail? How should it end?” Thunderclash had sculpted the tail curling around their entire castle with the tip reaching back to the front near the head. 

“With a wicked barb, for sure!” Rodimus replied, relieved that Thunders was asking about the sandcastle. He should know better than to harbor such troubling doubts. 

Finishing the little details on the head he took a step back while Thunderclash added a spade-shaped point to the end of the tail. He had no idea how many hours had passed. The lapping tide slowly drew nearer. 

Struck by a moment of inspiration, Rodimus grabbed a handful of sand. He ignited a fraction of his inner fire, letting his hands blaze with flames. The sand melted into transparent glass with a slight rosy hue. While it was still red-hot, Rodimus rolled the small lump into a perfect sphere. With a grin he set the glowing orb in their sculpture as the watchful eye of the dragon. 

“Wow! That is so cool!” Thunderclash gushed. Rodimus didn’t realize that he was watching him work over his shoulder. “You are a true artist!” 

“Takes one to know one!” Rodimus snickered. He leaned back against Thunderclash’s chest and the big bot wrapped him up in a warm embrace. “You’re right. We do awesome work together.” 

“Can’t argue with that.” Thunderclash smiled. He rested his chin on Rodimus’ helm as they basked in the majesty of their finished sandcastle. Rodimus relaxed in Thunder’s arms, feeling safe and secure, lovingly protected from all his nagging insecurities. 

“DAMN!” Riptide gasped, as he trotted over. He casually leaned against Thunderclash. “That is the most radical sandcastle I have ever seen! Hey, Drift! How are we supposed to compete with a totally awesome fairytale castle protected by a glowing-glass-eye dragon?” He playfully shoved the white speedster when he strolled over. 

“I guess it’s up to the judge.” Drift shrugged but the corner of his grin quirked upwards. “Look! Here he comes now!” 

Rodimus and Thunderclash turned to see a familiar stocky red and white ambulance trundling towards them. 

“WAIT?!” Rodimus sputtered. “Ratchet is the judge?! No fair!!” 

“Told you, you couldn’t win.” Drift smirked. 

“Alright.” Ratchet transformed as soon as he reached them. He hooked his thumbs into his utility belt. “Let’s get this show on the road.” 

Thunderclash caught Rodimus’ optics. The big bot made a face with an extremely exaggerated optic roll. Rodimus snickered. 

“Wow! I’ve never seen a sand dragon before!” Ratchet exclaimed. He inspected Thunderclash’s and Rodimus’ collaboration. “The castle has great structure with many incredible details and the glowing glass eye really puts the dragon over the top!” 

Riptide elbowed Drift, but the speedster just grinned. 

“Hey, Ratty!” Drift gestured towards his castle with a flourish. “That one is nice and all but check out this sandcastle! It’s a vision of the Crystal City as a coastal kingdom! It even has a real moat! With flowing water! Isn’t it the most amazing thing you’ve ever seen?” He added with a wink. 

“Well, now,” Ratchet sidled over and wrapped his arm around Drift’s waist. “I do believe there’s no contest. This is our winner!” 

Drift and Riptide whooped and high-fived. Riptide shimmied around in his traditional victory dance. 

“HEY! I call shenanigans!” Thunderclash huffed, folding his arms. “The judge is totally biased.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ratchet said with wide optics and feigned innocence as he pulled Drift into a tight hug. “That was a completely fair and impartial decision.” Drift giggled and stuck out his tongue at Rodimus. 

“AWW YEAH!!” Riptide cheered. “We won!! That means you owe us a drink!” 

“I know when I’m beat,” Rodimus threw his hands up with a mischievous grin. “Tell you what, I’ll buy you a drink if you buy us one.” 

“Sounds like a win to me!” Riptide beamed. He grabbed Drift and Ratchet and dragged them off towards Swerve’s festive tiki bar. “Last one there is a rusty scraplet!” 

“Roddy...” Thunderclash chided. After banding together to escape Getaway’s mutiny, Riptide and Thunderclash became close friends. Much to Rodimus’ chagrin, they even called each other mutiny-buddies. Thunderclash was always on guard for the slightest hint of someone taking advantage of Riptide’s amiable naivety. 

“Relax.” Rodimus dramatically waved off his concerns. “I’m not gonna actually make Riptide buy anything. After the stunt he pulled with Ratchet, Drift is paying for everything tonight. He just doesn’t know it yet.” 

“I guess that’s alright.” Thunderclash nodded. He draped his arm around Rodimus’ shoulders as they followed the sandcastle contest victors to Swerve’s. “Drift totally owes us for stealing the victory. Our sandcastle was the second most amazing sight on the beach today.” 

“Second?! Our dragon ruled! What could possibly be cooler than that?” Rodimus nudged Thunderclash’s side right in a ticklish panel. Thunderclash giggled and shied away. 

“Well- I mean- YOU were standing right there!” Thunderclash smiled. His face plates glowed soft pink, matching the suns’ lengthening rays shimmering on the sand as twilight fell. 

“I’m not going to argue with that!” Rodimus grinned, tiny sparks dancing along his spoiler. Yep! The beach vacation was definitely a great idea!


	3. Ropes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodimus rushes to the rescue when Thunderclash goes missing during a visit to a frozen alien world.
> 
> Guest appearances by Nautica and Whirl!

“Alright! Alright! Everyone, just calm down!” Rodimus shouted over the excited ruckus. When his pleas had no effect, he placed his fingers in his mouth a blew a sharp whistle. Everyone stopped and turned their attention to him. 

Their routine exploration of another uncharted world spiraled into chaos once they stumbled upon two of the local inhabitants. Then again, with anything concerning the Lost Light, the routine _was_ chaos. 

“Nautica! Getting anywhere on communications with the locals?” 

“Yes! I’ve made quite a bit of progress!” The purple Camian looked up from where she crouched in the snow in front of two large dappled gray canines frantically jabbering in a series of yelps and howls. She turned back to them and mimicked a high pitched “Arooo?” 

“Yip!” One of the canines responded, swiveling her pointed ears forward. 

“And... ?” Rodimus prodded her. “What’s their deal?” 

“Well... their language is similar to several dialects of wargish that I have on file, but with enough differences to make it tricky to decipher. I’m still struggling to parse out the syntax and translate their complex vocabulary, not to mention the nuanced body language that I lack the anatomical appendages to replicate.” 

“Now you’re speaking in tongues, too.” Rodimus huffed, crossing his arms. 

“Sorry!” Nautica grinned, rubbing the back of her helm with her wrench. “Basically, they’ve lost something. Something extremely important and they are desperate to find it.” 

“So, they need help! Awesome!” Rodimus spoiler bounced, a flash of brilliant gold against the muted blues and grays of the frozen terrain. “We’re aces at helping people. Tell them we’ll help them with their search! What are we looking for?” 

Nautica made a series of yapping yelps. Brainstorm snickered and she elbowed him. Although the language sounded strange to their audials, it was how these creatures communicated. Nautica never suffered anyone making fun of someone else’s words. 

The two canines howled and wagged their tails. Nautica grinned. 

“They are very happy for our assistance.” She translated. “But I still can’t quite make out what they're searching for. It sounds like they’ve lost ‘the night,’ but that doesn’t make any sense. They keep repeating the same word: something about night or darkness. It’s already midday and nightfall will surely come again in a few hours, but they insist they need to find ‘night’ right now. I must have the vocab wrong.” 

“Keep trying. If anyone can figure out how to talk to an alien race that no one has ever met before, it’s you.” Rodimus laid a supportive hand on her shoulder. 

“Aye! Aye! Captain!” Nautica flashed an exaggerated salute and resumed her conversation with the anxious canines with Brainstorm looming her shoulder offering unhelpful advice. 

“The rest of you,” Rodimus turned to his small away-party, “look around to see if you can find anything.” 

“How are we supposed to find it, if we don’t know what was lost?” Drift asked. 

“I’m guessing you’ll know it when you see it.” Rodimus shrugged. “If it’s that important, it’s probably obvious.” 

“Speaking of obvious...” An unexpected voice purred over Rodimus’ shoulder. 

“Damn it, Whirl!” Rodimus shuddered as a cold pair of claws trailed down his spoiler. He danced away from his grasp. “Your claws are fragging freezing!” 

“They’re not the only ones who lost something.” Whirl narrowed his single golden optic. 

“What are you on about?” Rodimus rolled his optics. He didn’t have time for the helicopter’s weird games. 

“Where’s your colorful shadow?” Whirl asked point blank. 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Rodimus muttered. “He’s right there…” Rodimus gestured over his shoulder and trailed off in shock. 

Thunderclash was nowhere to be seen. Rodimus blinked. Thunderclash always hovered right behind him on away missions, partly out of concern for Rodimus but mostly out of fear of getting lost. Despite possessing an unrivaled love of adventure and exploration, Thunderclash couldn’t navigate his way out of a energon cube. Combined with the fact that the comm system was unreliable on many planets, Thunderclash happily became Rodimus’ official rainbow shadow. Although he found it a little annoying at first, Rodimus quickly grew to appreciate his large comforting presence. 

“Aww, Thunders...” Rodimus moaned, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. He must have wandered off in the hullabaloo of the initial meeting with the canines. 

“Even a hardy adventurer like ol’ Thunders could get into quite a bit of trouble by himself.” Whirl sidled up to Rodimus. “Maybe he needs a big strong hero to ride to his rescue. Know where we can find one?” 

Drift snorted then burst into laughter with Whirl. 

“Shut up, both of you.” Rodimus playfully shoved them. While Thunders probably got distracted by some shiny new mineral or something, Rodimus felt exposed by his absence. Suddenly the wind seemed colder and the vibrance fled from the frozen forest’s limited color palette. 

Rodimus buried his anxiety, searching for any sign of the huge colorful transport. Seeing a set of large tracks in the deep snow that could only belong to one person, he vented in relief. At least he should be easy to find. 

“I gotta go get Thunders.” Rodimus shouted. “Nautica, you’re in charge! Everyone else, keep trying to find what our new doggo friends lost.” 

“Hey!” Whirl huffed. “I’m the one who noticed Thunders is missing! How come I don’t get to be in charge?!” 

“Whirl. I wouldn’t put you in charge of your own legs. One that note,” Rodimus grinned. “Hey, Tailgate! You’re in charge of Whirl’s legs until I get back!” 

“Woohoo!” The white minibot whooped. “Finally! A position of authority!!” 

“I dunno, Short Stack. You think you can handle all this!!” Whirl flopped back on the ground and suggestively flailed his spindly legs in the air. Tailgate laughed and pounced on him while Cyclonus rolled his deep crimson optics. 

“Keep an eye on them.” Rodimus quietly added to Drift as he turned to follow Thunderclash’s distinct footprints into the frozen woods. 

“No problem.” The white speedster smiled, thoroughly entertained by Whirl and Tailgate's antics. 

As soon as he was far enough away from the raucous laughter and animated yelping, Rodimus tried to reach Thunders on the comm system. Although he had expected to get static, the hissing crackles did nothing to calm his growing unease. He tried again every few steps until he finally received a response. 

“R- Roddy! Is that you?” 

“Of course, it’s me!” Rodimus grumbled, worry burning into annoyance at the sound of Thunderclash’s voice. “Where the frag are you?!” 

“Umm...” 

Rodimus winced. That was a little mean. Even if he didn’t get lost on the way to his own room, Thunderclash couldn’t possibly answer that question. No map of this planet exists. Technically none of them knew where they were. What if Thunders is in trouble? He shouldn’t have snapped. 

“D- do you have any rope?” Thunderclash interrupted his self-flagellation. 

“Don’t leave home without it! Follow your footprints back to me and I’ll hook you up.” Rodimus replied, relieved by the abrupt change in subject. 

“I- uh- I can’t...” 

“Because you’re lost or because you’re stuck.” Rodimus narrowed his optics. His anxiety returned. 

“D-does it have to be one or the other?” Thunderclash asked sheepishly. 

“No. I suppose not. Sit tight. I’m on my way already.” 

What did Thunders get himself into? Rodimus quickened his pace. Thunderclash’s voice had an uncharacteristic stutter with an odd splashy background noise. The comm system could be distorting the signal or the big dope could’ve got himself into some real trouble. Rodimus wondered if too much exposure to extreme cold could cause Thunder’s old injury to flare up and pushed himself even faster. 

Reaching the crest of a hill, Rodimus slid easily down the snowy slope towards a frozen lakeshore. In the center of the lake, fallen into the frigid water and floundering through the crumbling ice was his missing shadow. 

“THUNDERS!” Rodimus yelled. He frantically rummaged through his supplies and pulled out his emergency tow rope. Soft, supple, and strong, the length of fire-resistant braided fiberglass filament was a gift from Drift after Rodimus got himself stuck in his infamous lava-surfing incident. 

“Hi, Roddy!” Thunderclash smiled as bright as ever, nearly dunking himself underwater during his attempt to wave hello. Although his tone was upbeat, his magenta optics grew dim around the edges, a visible sign of the strain fighting the cold was putting on his scarred spark. Strangely he only used one arm in his desperate attempt to tread water. He kept the other clasped tightly to his chest. “Look what I found!” 

Thunderclash shifted his arm to reveal a small creature curled tightly against his frame, drawing warmth from his massive engine. Although similar to Nautica’s new canine friends, this one was much smaller with comically large triangular ears and paws too big for its short legs. While the other two canines were dappled gray like the sun filtering through snow-covered trees, this one had rich black fur dark as moonless winter night. 

“Night!” Rodimus’ jaw dropped. Nautica got the word translated correctly but missed the context. The night wasn’t a when, it was a WHO! With jet black fur like that, Night must mean their pup! He tried to comm her but got only static. He abandoned his attempt at communications to focus entirely on his rescue effort. 

“You’re right! Her name roughly translates to Midnight.” Thunderclash answered as he tried to make a little more progress. His plating shivered and the tiny canine whimpered. 

“Wait. How do you know her name?” Rodimus paused rigging the rope anchor around a solid chunk of granite to incredulously stare at Thunders. 

“She told me.” Thunderclash shrugged like casually carrying on a conversation with an adorable alien while trapped in the middle of a frozen lake was a totally normal thing to do. 

Rodimus shook his head. Of course, Thunderclash could understand the canines’ strange language. Thunders’ never ending well of obscure skills never ceased to amaze him. 

“Midnight snuck away from her family to explore the ice when she fell through a weak spot. I dove in as soon as I seen her. I managed to get to her, but now we’re both stuck. The water’s too deep to walk and the broken icebergs keep pushing me around. Riptide taught me to swim, but I’m nowhere near as good as he is.” 

Thunderclash struggled to stay above water as the shattered chunks of ice screeched along his armor. Midnight shivered and curled tighter against his massive frame. 

“Throw me the rope.” Thunderclash called as he slipped again, colliding with another bobbing iceberg. He spat out the freezing water and reset his vocalizer. “I’ll use a piece of my plating to rig a little boat for Midnight and you can pull her in.” 

“What about you?” Rodimus asked. He finished rigging his anchor point. 

“It doesn’t matter.” Thunderclash flailed amid the bobbing chunks of ice. “As long as Midnight is safe-” 

“Nope! No way! You’re not making me choose between saving an innocent pupper and the idiot that I love.” Rodimus knotted the other end of the rope around his own waist. He loved that Thunderclash nobly rushed to the aid of anyone in need but found his consistent lack of self-preservation extremely frustrating. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not about to sacrifice anyone when I can save everyone! I’m coming to get you both myself!” 

Rodimus braced himself and ignited his inner fire. He burned with raw determination. Flames swirled around his plating in a blaze of gold. As he strode into the frozen waters, the ice instantly hissed into clouds of steam. The droplets in the shroud of mist reflected his fire, wreathing him in a brilliant otherworldly glow. 

“Wow...” Thunderclash gaped at him, completely awestruck. Rodimus smiled. Thunders’ gaze of pure adoration never gets old. 

Midnight chimed in a series of yelps. Thunderclash chuckled, his face blushing soft pink despite the ridiculous circumstances. 

“Midnight has just informed we are in the presence of one of her gods.” Thunderclash grinned, adjusting his grip on the tiny canine. “A deity of courage and unstoppable fire. She is very excited to be rescued by a divine being. It’s going to make quite a story to tell her family.” 

“Aww, come on.” Rodimus huffed. Thunders was right, the water was way too deep to stand. Thankful that Riptide insisted on giving him swimming lessons too, Rodimus swam on. The icebergs melted before his red-hot frame. Although his fire burned bright, it used a lot of fuel and the lake was huge. He needed to be fast or they would all be in trouble. Good thing speed was his specialty. “You’re going to have to set her straight.” 

“What for?” Thunderclash reached out and Rodimus finally grasped his hand. He pulled him close. “I happen to agree with her. Being rescued by a deity is very exciting!” 

Rodimus tempered his flames to protect Thunderclash and his tiny charge but his face lit up brighter than ever. With a path cleared through the shifting ice, Rodimus and Thunderclash worked together, pulling hand over hand on the rope. 

When they neared the shore, exhaustion tugged at all Rodimus’ circuits. He missed a stroke and floundered. Before he slipped under, Thunderclash quickly wrapped an arm around his chest. Thunders cradled Midnight in one arm and held Rodimus up with the other while Rodimus finished pulling them to safety. 

Reaching the rocky bank, they both sprawled out in exhaustion. Midnight wriggled out of Thunderclash’s grasp and fixed her bright amber eyes on Rodimus. She swiveled her ears back, wagged her bushy tail, and barked. 

“She says ‘thank you,’ but phrased it more like a prayer.” Thunderclash offered a tired smile. “Theological debates aside, you saved us both. Thanks for always watching out for me.” 

“Woof.” Rodimus cheekily replied. He snugged himself against Thunderclash’s cold frame to share the warmth of his waning fire. “I can’t be anyone’s god. Being a fulltime hero is hard enough. Even I have limits to my awesomeness.” With Thunderclash safe at his side once more, Rodimus’ easy confidence returned. 

“I don’t believe that for a second.” Thunderclash muttered into the crook of Rodimus’ neck as he curled around him. “Out of all the people I’ve ever met, you are the least bound by limitations. When you see a better way, you refuse to settle for a lesser reality.” 

Rodimus considered their situation. He was exploring a new universe after defeating a planet and breaking the laws of quantum physics. If the greatest Autobot of all time believed it, maybe there was something to it. Wrapped in Thunderclash's arms with Midnight excitedly capering about, Rodimus smiled. He might not be a god, but he could get used to adoration like this.


	4. Ember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Rodimus doesn't show up for movie night, Thunderclash sets out to find him, knowing bad memories about Nyon often drive Rodimus to seek solitude.

Thunderclash strolled through the Lost Light’s long corridors searching for his missing co-captain. Riptide was screening the entire “Fast and Furious” series at Swerve’s tonight, complete with thematic snacks and drink specials. He knew how much Rodimus loved those movies’ high-octane, over-the-top vehicular absurdity and would normally be thrilled to attend. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find him anywhere. 

Although Thunderclash tried contacting Rodimus over the comm system several times, he received no response. He chalked it up to some internal malfunction. With several enthusiastic mad scientists routinely conducting unsanctioned experiments on board, minor systems glitches were to be expected. In fact, any day where the entire ship didn’t shrink or turn invisible was a good day. 

Following the small maps that Rodimus drew for him so he wouldn’t keep getting lost all the time, Thunderclash wandered through all the usual spots. He already checked Rodimus’ habsuite, the bridge, and the art studio. When he didn’t find the elusive speedster at the racetrack, Thunderclash started to worry. 

Taking a short cut through a rarely used shuttle bay, Thunderclash noticed a strange light flickering in the shadows next to the open hanger bay. Curiosity piqued, he turned aside to investigate. 

The light burned in warm golds and oranges, a smoldering ember of defiant brightness against the dark velvet of deep space. The scattered shimmering of countless unmapped stars couldn’t compare to the vibrance of the tiny flame. Only one person could create such beauty. 

“Hey! Roddy!” He called out when he could barely make out the speedster’s distinct silhouette against the stars. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” 

No response. 

“Rodimus?” 

Silence. The flame continued to burn. 

Thunderclash sent a quick text to Riptide telling him to start the movies without them. Only one thing repeatedly drove Rodimus to seek solitude... Nyon. Wondering what spurred his painful memories, Thunderclash tentatively approached Rodimus and found him transfixed by the tiny flame rolling around in his palm. His spark broke. 

Without saying a word, Thunderclash sat quietly next to Rodimus in the dark corner of the deserted shuttle bay. The unfamiliar stars bore impartial witness to their pain. Knowing that Rodimus often struggled to put his feelings into words, Thunderclash waited in supportive silence. 

“This is all it took,” Rodimus muttered, mesmerized by the dancing flame in his golden hands. 

Thunderclash startled, not expecting him to speak so soon. 

“One little ember,” Rodimus continued. “And the entire city burned to ash. Sometimes I wonder if I have any right to miss Nyon since I’m the one who lit the fire…” 

The shifting light reflected off Thunderclash’s metal-flake topcoat causing tiny rainbows to dance around them. Noticing the ridiculous prismatic spectrums, Rodimus cracked a reluctant grin. 

“Oh my god! THUNDERS!” He whined and extinguished the flame. “I am trying to BROOD! Can’t you see me here: silent, alone, in the dark?! With a single flame in my palm?!” 

“I know! I know! I’m so sorry!” Thunderclash winced and guiltily hunched his shoulders. “You’re doing a great job. Really! Top notch brooding!” 

“Well, it’s kinda hard to stay upset when you show up spawning sparkling rainbows everywhere.” Rodimus sighed. 

“Sorry! Sorry!” Thunderclash scooted a little closer to Rodimus. To his relief, Rodimus closed the gap and leaned on him. His plating felt so warm. “I didn’t mean to! I like to add a little glitter to my topcoat. In the right light, rainbows just kinda happen around me.” 

Rodimus shrugged, slipping back into his melancholy after a brief glimpse of his usual brightness. It pained Thunderclash to watch Rodimus hurt. He wished that he could help him to heal in some way. 

“Hey, Roddy?” He tentatively began. This conversation will either help or make it worse. Ever the optimist, Thunderclash decided to go for it and hope for the best. 

Rodimus turned his optics towards him, their usually shining cerulean dulled to a flat slate blue. 

“Remember the conversations that we had after the mutiny?” 

Rodimus nodded. 

“How I explained the reason that I agreed to go along with Getaway? How I only wanted Megatron off the ship because Optimus had no right to place him on your crew? I was angry that he didn’t consult you first, but then I made the same mistake. How when I found out we abandoned more crew members than a certain reformed warlord; I did everything that I could to fix things? I tried to rush to your aid only to fail time after time. While I was still trying to tell you how bad I screwed up, you said none of that mattered and forgave me. For everything.” 

“Yeah. I forgave you. You personally, and everyone else as well. I know a thing or two about royally screwing up and people have forgiven me. I’d be a total hypocrite to not return the favor,” Rodimus smiled through his sadness. “There’s nothing more to discuss.” 

“That’s exactly what I’m trying to say. Forgiveness is an essential part of healing. The strength of your love, of your forgiveness, helps me to forgive myself.” 

“I think I see what you getting at...” Rodimus sighed and stared out across the foreign stars. “But there’s no one from Nyon left alive to forgive me.” 

“That’s not entirely accurate...” Thunderclash quietly trailed off. 

“No. Actually, it is. The truth hurts. I killed them all when I burned the city.” Rodimus replied with such frigid detachment that it sent a chill through Thunderclash’s circuits. “Nyon’s destruction left no survivors.” 

“It left one,” Thunderclash said softly. 

Rodimus’ optics widened. His plating stiffened and he stared at Thunderclash. 

“Hot Rod of Nyon made a difficult choice with terrible consequences, but he survived.” Thunderclash held Rodimus’ gaze. “He survived alone, bearing the oppressive weight of his actions through countless years of war. Despite all the pain, he never gave up. His courage outlasted the war and he outgrew his old name. Eventually he built a new home for a new family. One that loves him very much. But he still carries that incredible burden all by himself.” 

“Wh- what?!” Rodimus shook his head in disbelief. His optics began to water. “That’s not- what I did- it doesn’t deserve forgiveness...” 

“I betrayed you. I didn’t deserve forgiveness either, but you freely gave it to me. The thing is, it’s not about who deserves it. Forgiveness is not earned, it’s given. As the last citizen of Nyon, give it to Hot Rod. Give it to yourself.” 

“I- I can’t,” Rodimus sobbed. He hugged his knees to his chest. “It’s impossible.” 

“You can do anything,” Thunderclash whispered with quiet confidence. He wrapped an arm around Rodimus’ shoulders and the speedster automatically nestled against his side. “You navigated the uncharted stars to discover the fate of the Knights of Cybertron and met the Guiding Hand. You fought a planet and won. You united a disparate group of lost sparks into a close-knit family and tore a hole in time and space to keep them together. The word ‘impossible’ never held any meaning for you.” 

“Th- Thunders...” Tears streamed down Rodimus’ face. “I- I don’t-” 

“Roddy, you can do it.” 

Rodimus studied Thunderclash’s face, searching for any hint of doubt. Thunderclash smiled although his spark was breaking. He’d take away all Rodimus’ pain at once if he could, but healing is a process. The most he could do was help him bear the burden, despite how much it hurt. Nothing so important ever comes easily. 

Drawing strength from Thunderclash’s belief in him, Rodimus offered a shallow nod. He brought his palms together and ignited a small spark. The tiny flash grew into a robust flame that filled his hands. 

Thunderclash watched Rodimus in awe. His red and gold armor glowed with the effort of controlling the flame. He seemed a creature of divine fire, a lost god forged from celestial embers. 

“I tried so hard.” Rodimus muttered to himself, staring intently into the flickering flames. After several moments of silently communing with his fire, he continued though his tears. “I’m not great with words, but maybe it would help to say them. I- I forgive you... Hot Rod. I wouldn’t be here today without you.” 

Thunderclash gave his shoulder a squeeze. 

The tension bled from Rodimus’ plating. He cast a tentative glance up at Thunderclash. The light from his flames made his tears shine like streaks of liquid diamond. Despite his tears, a half smile formed on his face. When he shifted his position, the firelight hit Thunderclash’s polished metal-flake topcoat once again sending prismatic rainbows dancing in the darkness. 

“Oh my god!” Rodimus half laughed half sobbed. “The fragging rainbows are back!” 

“I’m so sorry!” Thunderclash’s face glowed soft pink. Rodimus was struggling with some serious issues and his ridiculous paintwork kept causing distracting light shows. “It just happens. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” 

Rodimus held his fire closer to Thunderclash. The rainbows multiplied and increased in colorful intensity. Rodimus wiped his tears with the back of his hand and laughed. 

“Don’t apologize. It’s okay,” Rodimus smiled. Genuinely smiled. His cerulean optics shone bright. Thunderclash’s spark spun. “I kinda like them. They mean that you’re here with me.” 

“There’s no place that I’d rather be,” Thunderclash smiled. He was so happy to see Rodimus burning brighter. Although he knew that Rodimus took a big step today, deep wounds take time to heal. Thunderclash resolved to help Rodimus every step of the way in his journey to forgive himself. 

They sat together, quietly drawing strength from each other. Rodimus’ tiny flame reflected a multitude of rainbow lights off Thunderclash’s glittering armor, brightening the unfathomable darkness of unexplored space.


	5. Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rodimus and Drift spy on Thunderclash spending time at the fair by himself. 
> 
> Featuring bonus cute Dratchet!!

“Quick! Roddy get over here!” Drift hissed. “I found him!” 

“Finally!” Rodimus bounced over. “Who’d have thought it would be so hard to find someone fifty feet tall painted in all the colors of the rainbow?” 

He crouched down next to Drift behind a booth selling spiced fuel. When Rodimus couldn’t locate Thunderclash on his own, he enlisted his amica’s famed bounty hunter tracking skills. 

After Nautica translated an advertisement for a fireworks festival run by the local inhabitants of a techno-organic world, Rodimus put the decision to attend to a vote. Although anyone with half a brain could have predicted the outcome, the crew of the Lost Light voted unanimously to attend the alien fair. Well, not quite unanimously. Ultra Magnus cast the sole ‘nay’ vote. He only relented when Megatron assured him that bringing fireworks back aboard ship would not be tolerated. 

At this precise moment, dozens of Cybertronians bopped through the bustling and diverse crowd, sampling snacks, playing games, or in the Scavengers’ case, purchasing loads of contraband fireworks that Ultra Magnus would likely confiscate before they boarded the return shuttle. Eager to explore the entire festival, Rodimus raced ahead, leaving everyone in the dust. Thunderclash cheerily waved and promised to meet up again before the big fireworks display scheduled for this evening. 

“I still think it’s weird that you’re spying on him,” Drift nudged him. 

“Ugh! Come on!” Rodimus groaned. “I’m just curious about what he’s up to. I figured Thunders would hang out with his mutiny-buddy, but Riptide’s getting overcharged on the local high-grade with Nautica and Velocity. And I think you’re intrigued too, or you wouldn’t have agreed to help me.” 

Drift opened his mouth to object then quickly snapped it closed. “Fine. Guilty as charged. What does the greatest autobot ever do on his down time?” 

“He’d totally tell me if I asked, but this is more fun!” Rodimus snickered and peaked around the corner. 

Rodimus slightly swooned at the tall bot with an incongruous paintwork that simply sparkled under the fair’s colored lights. Drift had found Thunderclash alright. There was no mistaking his easy confidence, that adorable lopsided grin, and towering stature. Rodimus bit his lip and his golden spoiler twitched. 

“What’s he doing?” Drift whispered, snapping Rodimus back to reality. 

Thunderclash casually chatted with a few of the smaller locals. Despite that fact that this fair marked the very first contact with the people that Brainstorm had dubbed the Pyrotechnics, Thunderclash conversed in a halting version of the vernacular. He dropped to one knee to not tower over them. Rodimus had very little knowledge about the locals, other than they made some top-notch candy, but Thunder’s audience seemed like juveniles. Almost of them clutched large plushies offered as prizes in the adjoining game. 

“We just met these people. How did he learn their language so fast?” Rodimus grumbled. 

“I hear it’s one of his many, many skills,” Drift elbowed Rodimus with a smirk. 

“Shut up!” Rodimus laughed and playfully shoved him. 

Drift laughed, whirled around, and trapped Rodimus in a headlock. Rodimus wriggled to no avail. Despite all their sparing, Rodimus still couldn’t escape Drift’s hold. His amica always held the upper hand in any type of combat situation, especially the pretend ones. 

“Okay! Okay!” Rodimus gave Drift’s shoulder a double tap signaling his surrender. 

A joyful cheer rose from Thunderclash’s direction. Drift unceremoniously dropped Rodimus and resumed spying. Rodimus leapt up and leaned on Drift, careful not to topple over into plain sight. 

Thunderclash smiled at the Pyrotechnic youngsters, all tenderness and light. He plunked one coin down on the counter with a flourish and winked at his little fan club. The vendor gave him three small balls. Lining up his shot, Thunderclash threw the first ball and completely knocked over a tower of cans. The mini-Pyrotechnics cheered louder. A small bluish one with shining golden eyes jumped up and down, pointing excitedly to a teal feline plushie. Thunderclash nodded and the game vendor handed him his prize. Kneeling down, Thunderclash gave the plushie to the ecstatic youngling with a laugh. 

“Oh, sweet Solus Prime!” Drift gasped. “That’s adorable!!” 

“DRIFT!!” Rodimus grabbed his amica by the shoulders and shook him. “Do you see what I see?! He’s winning stupid festival games to give the prizes to kids! It’s so cute! I literally can’t stand it!!” 

Rodimus gaped at Thunderclash. The same bot lauded by many as an excellent fighter, a charismatic leader, a heroic warrior for the ages. They didn’t know the half of it. War was easy if you built walls around your spark and ignored any sense of compassion or decency. But to wade through the deepest darkness while maintaining your kindness? To bear the painful scars of brutal combat and still treat everyone with genuine gentleness? That was the purest strength Rodimus could imagine. 

He slid down to sit on the ground with his back against the booth. Another squeal of joy rose from across the midway. Rodimus tilted his head back and stared blankly at the foreign stars. 

“Are you alright?” Drift asked, nudging him with his foot. 

Rodimus thought back on his initial impressions of Thunderclash, colored more by jealousy than animosity. Even then, the big bot absolutely adored him. How many times during Rodimus’ long and painful life did he wish for someone to see him like Thunderclash did? For someone to recognize his strengths, skills, and general awesomeness? For someone to treat him with gentleness? Although he once loathed to admit it, Thunderclash embodied all his dreams come true. But with the things he’d done, the monumental mistakes he’s made, Rodimus didn’t deserve anyone’s unconditional adoration. 

Rodimus sighed deeply. “I don’t deserve him.” His spoiler drooped. 

“Nope,” Drift nonchalantly agreed, flopping down next to him amidst the general commotion of the vibrant fair. 

“Hey!” Rodimus huffed, bumping Drift’s shoulder with his own. “You’re not supposed to agree with me!!” 

“It’s true, though. Isn’t it?” Drift canted his finials back and focused on his own hands. “No one can ever truly earn affection. It can’t be bought either, not for any sum. You know my past. Do you think I ever did anything to deserve Ratchet’s devotion?” 

Unsure how to respond, Rodimus narrowed his optics. 

“Lucky for us, love isn’t about who deserves it,” A soft smile spread across Drift’s face. “It’s a gift. Freely given and freely received.” 

"When did you get so fraggin’ wise?” Rodimus glared at Drift out of the corner of his optics. 

“I’ve always been this wise. You’ve finally matured enough to appreciate my true wisdom.” Drift smirked. 

Rodimus rolled his optics, resisting the urge to whack Drift again. He didn’t want to end up in another headlock. 

“He’s just so nice, you know?” Rodimus snuck another quick glance around the corner at Thunderclash playing with the younglings. Several of them now perched on his broad shoulders as they considered the other prizes. He uttered a broken phrase in their lyrical language, and they all giggled and nodded, enthusiastically pointing at a golden leonine plushie. 

“Uh-huh,” Drift absent-mindedly muttered. 

“I used to think it was all an act. You know what I mean. Scraping out a living in the ruins of a broken city, I quickly learned that everyone had an angle, an ulterior motive, a self-serving reason to be nice. Except Thunderclash. He’s kind when there’s no discernable benefit to himself. I couldn’t figure him out and it irritated the scrap out of me.” 

“Yeah.” 

“It wasn’t until recently, when he sincerely apologized about the whole mutiny thing, that I realized he’s just genuinely good natured, to the point of being a bit naïve. Even though he spent years slowly dying from a debilitating injury, a wound maliciously inflicted on him by someone 100% trying to murder him, he truly believes that the universe is filled with goodness and wonder.” 

“Uh-huh.” 

“And someone like him... someone so special... loves me. _ME!_ Sometimes I wonder- are you even listening??” 

“Yeah.” 

Rodimus spun around to look at Drift. The white speedster sat cross-legged on the ground, propping his head up with his elbows on his knees. A dreamy grin spread across his face and his finials canted back at different angles. Rodimus followed his lovestruck gaze across the fairgrounds to see a bulky red and white medic arguing with a vendor selling a variety of therapeutic crystals. 

“Hey.” Rodimus poked Drift on the helm with one finger, snapping him out of his revelry. “You better get over there and rescue that vendor. Ratch is probably reading them the riot act about crystal therapy being a load of rust wash.” 

“Okay...” Drift grinned sheepishly as Rodimus pulled him to his feet. “But I really was listening.” 

“I know. Thank you,” Rodimus smiled. His amica always had his back. Although he wasn’t nearly as good at it, Rodimus did his best to return the favor. “Now, go get your conjunx!” 

Drift stumbled forward as Rodimus shoved him Ratchet’s general direction. Rodimus leaned against the side of the booth, watching as Drift quickly recovered and sauntered across the midway. He smiled. Seeing his amica so happy never failed to warm his spark. 

“Hi, Ratty!” Drift waved with a grin. “I’ve come to save this poor crystal artisan from your medical proselytizing.” 

“Pfft!” Ratchet huffed. “It’s called ‘haggling,’ if you must know. And it’s an essential part of making a purchase in many cultures.” 

“Purchase?!” Drift stopped short and his finials perked up. 

“Yeah. It’s when money is exchanged for goods and services.” Ratchet grumbled, thrusting a strange pyramid-shaped crystal that appeared to be made of a series of interlocking angles into his hands. Its iridescent sparkles reminded Rodimus of Thunderclash’s glittering topcoat. 

“You? Bought a crystal?!” Drift stammered incredulously. He accepted the stone with reverence. 

“While I don’t believe this lush specimen of bismuth will ‘harmonize your aura to the spectral realm’ or ‘alleviate your loneliness’...” Ratchet made the air quote gesture. Despite the obvious disbelief in the crystal’s virtues, the medics faceplates glowed soft pink. “It is very pretty and- it- uh- reminded me of you. I though you would like it.” 

“Aww! Ratty!” Drift’s clear blue optics watered. He leapt up and threw his arms around Ratchet. The medic pulled him into a tight embrace. 

Rodimus shook his head. Ratchet buying crystals! Now he truly had seen everything. He left his amica and his conjunx to their cuddling and wandered over to join Thunderclash. Watching Drift and Ratchet melt into each other's arms made him feel a bit lonely. 

As soon as Rodimus stepped out from behind the booth, Thunderclash saw him. The big bot lit up like the brightest and grandest firework imaginable. A broad lop-sided grin spread across his face and he waved. His rapid motion set the light dancing off his multicolor metalflake paintwork in dazzling prismatic sparkles. Rodimus snickered. If Thunders keeps that up, the Pyrotechnics are going to recruit him to star in the fireworks display as the grand finale. 

“RODDY!” Thunderclash added a little hop to his wave like maybe Rodimus couldn’t see him through the crowd. Like he wasn’t the tallest, most colorful, most obviously spectacular attendee at the fair. Sparks shimmered along Rodimus’ spoiler. “Over here!!” 

“Hey, Thunders!” Rodimus returned the waved and jogged over. “Whatcha up to?” 

“Winning prizes with my new friends!” Thunderclash beamed. If he looked happy before, he was practically glowing now. Seeing how much his presence brightened Thunderclash’s already shining demeanor made Rodimus’ spark spin faster. 

“It looks like you’ve hit a lucky streak!” Rodimus grinned. Every single little Pyrotechnic cuddled their own plushie. 

“Nonsense!” Thunderclash chuckled. He mimed the act of tossing a ball. “It’s all in the wrist.” 

The little blue one tugged on Thunders’ plating and chattered excitedly. They pointed at Rodimus and the rest of the group buzzed with anticipation. 

“What’s got your little buddies all wound up?” Rodimus asked. 

“They helped me pick out a prize just for you! TA-DA!” Thunderclash opened his large cobalt hands to reveal the small golden plushie. Up close it resembled a lion with a mane made from a myriad of shades of orange deepening to red on the tips. The synthetic fur mane ran all the way down its back to the tufted tip of its tail. Unlike any lion he’d ever seen, this little plush also sported broad feathery wings. The face featured a stitched feline grin complete with one crystal snaggletooth fang and shining turquoise eyes. 

“For me?” Rodimus gasped. He stared at the strange plush in disbelief. How did Thunderclash find the time to win something for him while helping out all the younglings? 

“Yeah!” Thunderclash’s magenta optics sparkled with a brightness that put even his flamboyant paint work to shame. “According to this bunch,” Thunders gestured to his little fan club all happily cuddling their new plush prizes and watching Rodimus with bright eager eyes, “all the plushies depict characters from an extremely popular cartoon. When I told them that I needed a special prize for you, they insisted on the gold one. I think his name roughly translates as Stu? He’s the bravest, coolest, most awesomest character, making him absolutely perfect for you!” 

“Wow.” Rodimus accepted his gift with the same reverence Drift showed to the crystal Ratchet bought for him. Although the plush was totally adorable and super soft, the fact that Thunderclash put so much thought into winning the perfect prize specifically for him made Rodimus’ spark spin faster. “He’s amazing! Thank you!” 

“I’m so happy that you like it!” Thunderclash’s massive engine purred. It resonated so pleasantly with Rodimus’ own. 

Rodimus sidled up to Thunderclash and the big bot draped his arm around his slim shoulders with practiced ease. Satisfied that Rodimus approved of their choice of prize, the younglings chirped their thanks and scattered, each one happily tugging along their new plushies. 

With Stu safely tucked under one arm, Rodimus wrapped the other around Thunderclash’s waist. Although they strolled down the midway towards the open area to view the nights’ pyrotechnic display, the real fireworks exploded inside Rodimus’ flame decaled chest. 

He thought about what Drift had said earlier. When Thunderclash smiled at him, all gentle kindness and sweet adoration, Rodimus knew without a doubt he felt the same happiness. Rodimus laughed, hugged him tightly and basked in his warm love. His spark spun with happiness to have found someone to share such a precious gift.


	6. Royal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Lost Light unintentionally passes through sovereign airspace, some alien royalty demands a conference to discuss the trespassing. There's only one problem: the Lost Light doesn't have any royalty... yet!

Rodimus and Thunderclash strolled down the Lost Light’s main thoroughfare to Swerve’s, happily chatting about the intricate nuances of time and space as it applied to the Fast and Furious universe. When Rodimus got in the zone of describing something that he loved, sometimes he’d freeze and worry that he was being too much or boring his friends. He never felt that way with Thunders. Understanding Rodimus’ passionate nature, the big bot always listened carefully and only asked questions so he could better grasp the details. 

“Oh! I get it!” Thunderclash nodded. “Although ‘Tokyo Drift’ was the third film released, you should really watch it after the sixth one.” 

“YES!! Exactly!!” Rodimus exclaimed. Not only did Thunderclash come to the correct conclusion without teasing Rodimus about his absurdly detailed knowledge of earth film lore, he could have only done so if he was paying attention to all the obscure references. Rodimus’ spoiler bounced. “That explains why Han-” 

The entire ship shuddered, knocking them slightly off balance. A low groan of distressed metal echoed through the halls. Rodimus and Thunderclash stopped and stared at each other. 

“Did you feel that?” Thunderclash tentatively asked. He rubbed at his chest like he wasn’t sure if the ship moved or his scarred spark caused a personal systems glitch. 

“The Lost Light lurching like she hit a gigantic space pothole?! Hell yeah I did!” 

Thunderclash gently laid his hand on the wall. Since he spent so much time linked to the Vis Vitale as a life support system, Rodimus often wondered if Thunderclash possessed some kind of supernatural insight into a ship’s operation. 

“We’ve stopped moving,” Thunderclash muttered. 

“But the quantum engines are still humming. I can feel them.” Rodimus fuel tanks churned. The last time the ship stopped without a quantum malfunction, the Galactic Council had them trapped in a forcefield and slated for destruction. 

“BRIDGE!” Rodimus and Thunderclash reached the same conclusion at the same time. They abandoned their planned evening at Swerve’s movie marathon and raced for the command deck. 

“You go ahead! I’ll be right behind you!” Thunderclash yelled when Rodimus rapidly outpaced him. 

“Right! See you there!” Rodimus yelled, pistons pounding. He trusted Thunders to back him up as soon as he could get that massive frame in gear. Although he still struggled with self-doubt, Rodimus had quickly come to appreciate Thunders’ unwavering support. 

Rodimus tore down the long halls, whipped around corners at top speed, and flew up the stairs, confident he was faster than waiting for the lift. He burst onto the bridge and found Megatron deep in conversation with Brainstorm and Nautica. 

“MEGS!!” Rodimus skidded to a stop beside his co-captain. His red armor glowed after the intense exertion. “What the hell?!” 

“Ah, yes, Rodimus. Eloquent as always,” Megatron muttered though a fond light shone in his deep crimson optics and a reluctant smile tugged at his lips. “We’ve had a bit of an alien encounter, but it’s my shift as captain. I’ll handle it.” 

“Oh, sweet Primus! Rodimus! You should have seen it!” Brainstorm gushed. His wings twitched in excitement. “This super weird dragony alien teleported into the engine room! Teleported!! And I didn’t even see a briefcase! He informed us that we are trespassing in Equestrian airspace and stopped the ship with a snap of his fingers! It was amazing!! I wonder what kind of technology he used!” 

“I don’t know how he did it!” Nautica added with fervent wonder. She had apparently contracted Brainstorm’s infectious enthusiasm. “The quantum engines are totally fine. We should be traveling at a good pace with the way they’re pulsing, but we've completely stopped. It’s almost like the ship is enclosed in a gigantic soap bubble, slowly spinning around to thwart any forward progress. Like most things that I’ve encountered since joining your crew, it’s simultaneously fascinating and ridiculous!” 

“Is he still here? The alien?” Rodimus’ asked, optics darting around searching for the mysterious intruder. 

“Not right now. But he’ll be back!!” Nautica grinned, turquoise optics wide with the manic delight of an explorer on the precipice of uncharted territory. “He said that our Princess needs to talk to his Princess and sort the whole thing out. The only problem is... we don’t have a Princess.” 

“I’m co-captain on duty, so I’ll talk to his Princess. Although, I don’t see what there is to ‘sort out’,” Megatron grumbled. “How could we be trespassing if we didn’t even know that Equestrian space existed?” 

“Easy, Megs,” Rodimus flashed a sly grin as he playfully elbowed his co-captian. “Your warlord is showing.” 

“What?! You- I-” Megatron sighed and his shoulders drooped. “You’re right. We don’t get to decide when we hurt people. Especially when they directly tell us we’ve done something wrong to them.” 

“Wow. That’s deep, Megs! I’m impressed,” Rodimus nodded. “But there is no way that you’re going to be our Princess.” 

“Why?! Let me guess... I suppose you’ll make a better Princess than I would?” Megatron indignantly folded his arms. 

“Totally,” Rodimus agreed. “But, in the interest of co-captainly fairness, I will refrain from accepting Princesshood as well.” 

“Who should be our Princess then?” Nautica asked. “The alien could return with his Princess at any moment! We need to designate someone fast! Since we can’t figure out how he trapped the ship, we need to get him to release us. Otherwise we’ll be stuck here for a very long time. Possibly forever!” 

“Don’t worry!” Rodimus grinned. Sparks flashed along his spoiler. “I know all Disney movies by heart. According to everything I’ve learned about Princesses, they need to be adventurous, kind, and likeable. Bonus points if they’re cute with a few adorable quirks. I’ve got the perfect person in mind.” 

At that precise moment the bridge doors flew open and Thunderclash stumbled on to the bridge, vent fans whirling. 

“Sorry! Sorry! I apologize for being late!” The massive rainbow-hued transport puffed. “I’d have been here sooner, but I made a wrong turn at the top of the stairs!” 

“TA DA!” Rodimus swung his arms towards Thunderclash and grinned. 

Megatron’s jaw dropped. The big bot shifted nervously when everyone’s attention turned to him. 

“Well?” Rodimus wagged his brows. 

“You know...” Megatron shook his head. “I’d like to argue with you on principle, but I can’t. I think you made an excellent choice.” 

“Of course, I did!” Rodimus preened. “I’m an excellent captain!” 

“Choice for what?” Thunderclash asked suspiciously. He narrowed his optics as Brainstorm and Nautica failed to hide their snickering. 

“Congrats, Thunders!” Rodimus thumped the big bot’s shoulder. “I’ve just elected you as our first official Princess!” 

“Princess?” Thunderclash scrunched his face. “Like in the Disney movies?” 

“Technically...” Nautica interrupted. “Princesses aren’t elected.” 

“Elected. Appointed. Crowned. Whatever.” Rodimus shrugged. “We need a Princess to meet with some alien royalty to apologize for accidently invading their airspace, and you’re just the bot for the job.” 

Thunderclash listened carefully as Brainstorm and Nautica quickly filled him in on the details, nodding at the appropriate places. The fact that Thunderclash simply accepted his new title without any arguing or disparaging comments, warmed Rodimus’ spark. He knew he could count on the big bot. 

“I don’t have to sing? Do I?” Thunderclash winced after the excited scientists brought him up to speed. 

“Who knows? But if you do, I know you’ll do your best.” Rodimus pat his broad shoulder with a reassuring smile. Thunderclash excelled at a great many things. Carrying a tune was not one of them. Although he enjoyed belting out off-key renditions of all the classics right along with the animated movies, he would refrain if too many people were around. Rodimus found it endearing that such a mundane flaw made Thunders feel so self-conscious. 

“Okay. But I hope that-” 

POOF!! 

Everyone froze as a sinuous dragon-like creature with mis-matched limbs appeared in their midst accompanied by an irate lavender unicorn flaring her ruffled wings. 

“Discord!” She stomped her hooves. “For the last time! Tell me what is so important that...” She trailed off and her deep purple eyes widened. She slowly turned around, gaze sweeping across a crowd of stunned Cybertronians. When she noticed the huge window and the view of her planet swirling below them, she screamed, “AHHHH! By Celestia’s Beard! Where have you teleported us this time?!” 

“My dear trespassers...” Discord swept low in a mock bow. 

Megatron growled. Rodimus elbowed him. 

“May I present her royal highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria.” 

Thunderclash cast Rodimus a nervous sidelong glance. Rodimus nudged him forward. They didn’t know anything about these strange aliens, but it takes an immense amount of power to freeze a quantum ship. Rodimus wasn’t so sure about the dragon-thing named Discord, but he good some good vibes from Princess Twilight. Something about her that he couldn’t quite quantify reminded him of Ultra Magnus. 

“Your highness.” Thunderclash mimicked Discord’s bow but somehow made the gesture completely sweet and sincere. 

“Oh! Oh my!” Twilight Sparkle blushed as Thunderclash bowed his massive frame before her. She adjusted her golden crown which had gone crooked as she yelled at Discord. So, Thunders’ instant magnetic appeal extended to equine alien races as well. Rodimus rolled his optics. Is there anyone who doesn’t love the big dope? Then again, Rodimus’ face plates warmed, there’s a lot to love. 

“I sincerely apologize for entering your space unannounced. Allow me to introduce myself: I am Princess Thunderclash,” Thunders caught Rodimus’ optic and winked, “of the Lost Light.” 

Rodimus’ jaw dropped. His mind blanked. He could vaguely hear Thunderclash continuing his eloquent apology, but the words ringing in his audials drown out everything else. 

_Princess Thunderclash of the Lost Light_

He blinked. 

_Of the Lost Light_. 

A Cybertronian’s forging honorific formed an integral part of their identity. Rodimus always introduced himself as “of Nyon.” The same way Megatron would always be “of Tarn.” It defined where you came from because the history of your home often influenced your character. Although he rarely used it, Rodimus heard Thunderclash’s full name a few times. It was “of Hyperi-what-the-frag-ever.” Or something. Despite being forged there, Thunderclash said he felt no connection to his city of origin and usually left it out. But today... Today he looked directly into Rodimus’ optics then introduced himself to an alien Princess using a brand new name. One that he chose for himself. 

_Of the Lost Light_. 

Thunderclash chose to publicly proclaim, in front of everyone, that he considered the Lost Light as part of his identity. Like it was a completely normal thing to do. And he wanted Rodimus to hear him. 

Rodimus’ optics watered. 

When he gave the order to attempt the quantum experiment that allowed him to keep his crew together, Rodimus always hoped that everyone would consider the unique vessel their home. To hear someone like Thunderclash, someone who he cared about so deeply, make an announcement like that... Rodimus’ spark spun. 

“Rodimus!” 

The speedster startled. Someone calling his name snapped him out of his wandering thoughts. 

“Hey! Roddy! Come here!” Thunderclash beckoned to him. 

Suddenly reminded of the potential interstellar border incident, Rodimus quickly scrubbed his tears away with the back of his hand. Thunderclash sat on the floor, cheerfully chatting with the unicorn Princess. Discord folded his mismatched arms and glared at each member of his crew with distrust. 

"Hey there, Princess Thunderclash _of the Lost Light_.” Rodimus pointedly emphasized Thunderclash’s new chosen identity as he plopped down on the floor with the Princesses. 

“Yeah. My name finally feels right… More than anything else...” Thunderclash sheepishly rubbed the back of his helm. “Anyway! Princess Twilight, may I introduce my co-captain, Rodimus of Nyon.” 

Rodimus made a mental note to continue the discussion about Thunders’ new name later, when they aren’t in the of diplomatic negotiations regarding trespassing into alien airspace. 

“Is he the one you told me about?” Twilight asked. 

Thunderclash nodded. His bronze cheeks warming with a soft pink glow. 

“I am very pleased to meet Princess Thunderclash’s very-special-somepony!” Twilight offered Rodimus a sly smile and a regal nod. 

“Um... Pleased to meet you too, Princess,” Rodimus returned the nod. He leaned over to Thunders and whispered, “What’s that mean?” 

“Dunno,” Thunderclash whispered back with a subtle shrug. “But anything with the words ‘very-special' feels applicable to you.” 

Sparks danced along Rodimus’ spoiler. 

“As we were saying,” Thunderclash reset his vocalizer, getting back on subject. “In Equestria, it is customary for royalty to visit each other’s homes as a sign of mutual respect between their peoples. Since Princess Twilight has made an official visit to the Lost Light, she has offered to give me a tour of her home as a sign of friendship. Would you like to join us?” 

“Explore a new world?! With a couple of cute Princesses?! Hell yeah! I’d love that!” Rodimus grinned. 

Megatron’s engine rumbled a warning. 

“But first, what about out ship?” Rodimus quickly asked before his co-captain ruined the amiable rapport Thunders had developed with the purple unicorn. 

“I’ll take care of that!” Princess Twilight flared her wings and pronounced a royal decree. “Discord! Release their ship from your chaos bubble. Please?” She added sheepishly. 

“Oh, alright,” Discord grumbled, rolling his eyes. He snapped his fingers and the Lost Light shivered. The iridescent bubble trapping them in place disappeared and the ship resumed orbiting the colorful planet below. “But I’ve seen what Cybertronians have done to other dimensions. Don’t blame me if this all blows up in your pretty pony face.” 

Brainstorm grabbed Nautica and shook her. He squealed, “Other dimensions!!! Holy frag!!!” 

“Thank you, Discord. I appreciate your concern.” Twilight placed one hoof on Thunderclash’s large forearm. “Princess Thunderclash admitted that they have all taken a great many regrettable actions, but they left their old lives behind. They want to explore and build a new home for themselves on this ship. We shouldn’t judge people that we’ve just met based on preconceived notions. In fact, I seem to recall certain Spirit of Chaos that might still be imprisoned in stone if someone didn’t believe in his capacity for change.” 

“What?! But- I- you- ugh!! Fine! I’ll give them a chance,” Discord huffed. “But if anyone so much as looks at Fluttershy wrong, I’ll turn you all into sea cucumbers!” 

“Sea cucumbers?!” Thunderclash and Rodimus exclaimed at once. 

“We once visited a dimension where everyone was a sea cucumber. You know, small, wiggly, brightly colored.” Princess Twilight flicked her shimmering tail. “It was super cute!” 

“AHHH!! I can’t take it anymore!!” Brainstorm transformed, flew a lap around the command deck, and shifted back into bot mode at Princess Twilight's hooves. “You’ve visited other dimensions?! HOW?! What type of scientific device did you use?? Was it a briefcase? I bet it was a briefcase!! I used a briefcase!! For that matter, how did Discord stop our ship?? That should be impossible!! But he totally did!! I saw it with my own optics!!” 

“Magic!” Discord flashed a mischievous fanged grin. He snapped his fingers and turned Brainstorm into a tiny sea cucumber. 

“Sweet Solus Prime! You’re right, Princess! He. Is. Adorable!” Nautica squealed. She scooped up the wiggling Brainstorm-colored creature in her hands. He hummed appreciatively and nuzzled her fingers. Nautica giggled as he raced small circles in her palms, mini-wings twitching with glee. 

Rodimus snorted, struggling to contain his laughter. All soft curves, bright colors, and manic excitement, sea-cucumber-Brainstorm was really cute. He was doing his best to keep up a dignified captianly façade until he turned to Thunderclash and Twilight and totally lost it. Despite the two looking as physically different as possible, one was a massive multicolored mech that turned into a heavy transport vehicle and the other was a cute fluffy purple unicorn with a flowing mane and feathery wings, they both wore the exact same expression: a delicate mix of shock and guilty amusement. Princesses! 

“Discord!” Twilight gasped! “Fix this right now!” 

“Fix it? By turning _everyone_ into sea cucumbers??” Discord asked innocently. 

“NO!” Twilight and Thunderclash shouted at the same time. They looked at each other and giggled, somehow already close friends. Rodimus grinned to himself. He knew Thunders would do an excellent job. 

“You’re no fun!” Discord moaned and snapped his fingers again. With a blinding flash of light, Nautica found herself struggling to hold a fully restored Brainstorm in her hands. She fell backwards under his weight and they tumbled to the floor in a heap. 

“That. Was. AMAZING!!” Still sprawled on top of Nautica, Brainstorm examined his own hands, wiggling his fingers which were only tiny soft nubs a second ago. “How can you do that kind of stuff without any technological devices?” 

“We use magic,” Princess Twilight explained like it was the most obvious thing ever. Pink sparks shimmered around her horn. 

“It’s like I always tell you, Brainstorm!” Rodimus grinned. “Science is Magic!!” 

“No. Friendship is Magic,” Discord rolled his mismatched eyes. “If you Princesses are ready, let’s get this show on the road.” 

Princess Twilight unfurled her wings and alighted on Thunderclash’s broad shoulder. Thunderclash reached out his hand to Rodimus. As their fingers intertwined, Rodimus smiled. Meeting Thunderclash’s magenta optics, Rodimus reveled in their partnership. When Rodimus needed a Princess, Thunderclash instantly stepped up, no arguments, no second-guessing. Not only did Thunders trust him, but he believed in Rodimus so much that he proclaimed the Lost Light as an integral part of his identity. 

Before Discord teleported them to the surface to make the ceremonial first visit to an alien world, Rodimus sent a quick message to Ultra Magnus requesting that Thunderclash’s position be made official: 

_Princess Thunderclash of the Light Light_

He couldn’t wait to tell Thunders. The Lost Light was now the very first Cybertronian vessel to have an official Princess, and Rodimus couldn’t think of anyone better suited for the job! 

**Behold Sea Cucumber Brainstorm in all his adorable glory!! By[Krinsyn](https://krinsyn.tumblr.com/)!!! **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [Krinsyn](https://krinsyn.tumblr.com/) for allowing her sea cucumbers to make a cameo appearance in this fic and most especially for making the amazing Brainstorm art!!
> 
> He is so super adorable!!


	7. Adore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thunderclash organizes the crew to create a special surprise for Rodimus to show their love and appreciation for their captain!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thunderrod Week Grand Finale!!
> 
> Get ready for fluff and feels!!

Thunderclash stood back and admired his finished work. Rodimus was going to love it! 

It had taken weeks to complete every detail, but it was worth all the effort. Juggling his schedule to have time to work on his secret project so Rodimus wouldn’t get suspicious was the most difficult part. Tracking down over 200 crew members for their individual contributions paled in comparison. Thunderclash smiled. Everything came together so beautifully. 

Knock! Knock! Someone lightly tapped on his door. Unusual. Riptide was always late. 

“Come on in, Riptide! The door’s open!” Thunderclash called, still transfixed by his completed project. “I wasn’t expecting you for another hour. Let’s get this wrapped up and-” 

Thunderclash turned around to greet his best friend and his jaw dropped. Standing in his doorway was none other than Rodimus himself. 

“S’up, Thunders!” Rodimus grinned with mirth sparkling in cerulean optics. His vermilion armor shone like fire in the dim light. 

“YOU! You’re not Riptide!” Thunderclash blurted out. He quickly flung a velvet cloth over his work and shifted his position to block Rodimus’ view. 

“What gave it away?” Rodimus’ snickered, folding his arms. "Was it the lack of fins?" 

“I- uh- what are you doing here?!” 

“I finished my shift on the bridge early. Since I have a few hours to kill before the “First Annual Welcome to the New Universe Anniversary” party tonight at Swerve’s, I thought I’d come hang out for a while.” 

“Great?” Thunderclash winced. He squared his shoulders, hoping Rodimus couldn’t see around him. 

“What is wrong with you?” Rodimus narrowed his optics. He craned his neck, trying to see behind Thunderclash’s big frame. 

“N- Nothing!” Thunderclash squeaked. 

“You’re hiding something!” A wicked grin spread across Rodimus’ face. 

“Nope! No way! Not me! Nothing to see here!” 

“Then you won’t mind if I-” Rodimus dashed forward in a blinding burst of speed. 

Thunderclash yelped and managed to fling out one arm and catch Rodimus around the waist. Using his momentum, Thunderclash spun before he made it past. He pulled Rodimus close and held him tightly. 

“Now I’ve got you right where I want you!” Rodimus laughed. 

“Oh no!” Thunderclash gasped already knowing what was coming. His magenta optics widened. Rodimus had discovered Thunderclash’s ticklish side panel by accident one evening as they cuddled watching bad monster movies. He snuggled against him and happened to brush the sensitive circuits, prompting Thunderclash to giggle uncontrollably. 

Rodimus grinned and ran his golden fingers lightly along the extremely ticklish panel. One touch and Thunderclash was helpless, reduced to a giggling mess. His stabilizers glitched and he fell over, sprawling on the floor in laughter. Rodimus pounced on him, continuing his attack. 

“Knock it off!” He giggled, shying away from Rodimus’ relentless tickling. The harder he laughed, the more Rodimus pressed his advantage. He squirmed, unable to escape Rodimus’ nimble fingers. “Okay! Okay! It’s a surprise!!” 

“A surprise! I love surprises!” Rodimus ceased his tickle attack, allowing Thunderclash to regain his composure. 

“I know. That’s why it’s for you.” Thunderclash’s vent fans whirled as he recovered. 

“A surprise for me? My favorite kind!” Rodimus’ spoiler bounced. “Can I have a peek? Please!!” 

“I dunno... I was supposed to give it to you tonight at the party. I’m pretty sure that Jackpot has a pool running on whether or not I’ll be able to keep it a secret...” 

“Come on! Pleeeease!” Rodimus whined. “What if I die before then?!” 

“What if you die? Like in the next hour?? On the walk down the hall to Swerve’s???” Thunderclash gave him an incredulous look. 

“Yeah. Then I would enter the Afterspark having never seen my super-cool surprise. It would be so incredibly tragic!” Rodimus flopped dramatically backwards across Thunderclash’s lap and flung his forearm across his face. Failing to stifle a grin, he shifted his arm slightly to peek at Thunderclash. 

“If I show you now, you still have to act surprised later at the party,” Thunderclash sighed with a fond smile. He never could resist Rodimus’ theatrics. Besides, he’d been dying to show Rodimus his secret project for weeks. 

“No problem! I can totally act!” Rodimus leapt up. Sparks shimmered along his spoiler. “Didn’t you see me just now?” 

“Alright. Fine. Give me a hand.” Thunderclash got back on his feet with Rodimus’ help. At least he didn’t faint this time. 

Rodimus practically vibrated with excitement. Thunderclash pulled back the red velvet cloth to reveal his surprise. Two large handmade magnetic display cases, each one filled with over a hundred unique colorful medals. 

“It’s beautiful!” Rodimus gasped. Then he furrowed his brow. “But... what is it?” 

“Well...” Thunderclash smiled. His cheeks began to glow soft pink. “You know how much my Rodimus Star means to me?” 

“Yeah. You told me all about how you keep it with you all the time, like a good luck charm. Which is super cute by the way. But I don’t understand how that’s relevant,” Rodimus answered, confusion clear in his voice. 

“I got to talking to other crew members and realized that everyone on board has at least one Rodimus Star. You recognized something unique about every single member of your crew. The Rodimus Star is the only medal that many of them have ever received. That gesture means a lot more to people than you might realize.” 

“Although the Stars are kinda silly, I just want everyone to feel special,” Rodimus shrugged, brushing off the compliment with a bit of his trademark self-depreciation. “That doesn’t explain all these medals.” 

“But that’s exactly the explanation. You took the time to make each of us feel special. We all want you to know how that feels.” 

Rodimus’ optics widened as he vented a long slow intake. He leaned closer to examine the details of each medal as the realization slowly dawned on him. This collection represented the physical manifestation of the adoration of his entire crew. 

“I met with each person on the ship individually and helped them make their own medal to give you. Everyone designed their own personal award, then I crafted them out of medal and colored enamel. Once the medals were complete, they engraved their messages on the back.” 

“All this? For me?” Rodimus squeaked. Tears began to shimmer along his optics. 

Each unique medal a had a name plate underneath it. Quickly skimming the collection, Rodimus reached for the one that read ‘Drift’. It was a small enamel great sword wreathed in blue and purple flames that sparkled like crystal dust. He plucked it off the magnetic display board and turned it over in his hands. The back featured Drift’s scratchy handwriting inscribed into the silver metal: “For always taking a wild chance... especially with me.” 

“Aww, Drift!” Rodimus huffed a laugh as tears streamed down his face. He returned the medal to its place. “Th- There’s really one from everybody?” 

“Every single crew member,” Thunderclash nodded. “Everyone was so excited about this project that I’m shocked we all managed to keep it a secret for so long. After a few disputes about whose medal should go where, I figured the only fair way to organize them was alphabetically, from Animus to Xaaron.” 

Rodimus stared at the overwhelming number of different awards, each one polished to a mirror finish. A fantastic variety of shapes and colors shimmered in the soft light. He ran his fingers along the nameplates, stopping at the ‘M’s’. He chuckled at a large gray replica of Megatron’s chest, complete with a tiny autobrand and his swirling filigrees. He plucked it off to read the message carved deep with strong, bold strokes: “For truly believing that I abandoned my evil ways.” 

“Pfft! Megs!” Rodimus smiled, gently replacing the medal. 

He stared at all the different designs. A rich purple Decepticon symbol covered with the classic “NO” symbol of a red circle with a slash through it over Cyclonus’ name. It read “For keeping your promise” in archaic flowing script. Minimus Ambus’ medal featured a green and white canine howling with stylized music notes flowing from its mouth. It read “For helping me feel comfortable in my own plating” in the most perfect handwriting imaginable. Rodimus’ shoulders shook. He stared at the multitude of unique awards and sobbed. 

“Are you alright?” Thunderclash asked quietly. He wrapped an arm around Rodimus. The speedster turned and hugged him tightly. Thunderclash held him, rubbing small circles beneath his spoiler. 

“It’s too much,” Rodimus cried into Thunderclash’s chest. 

“It’s exactly the right amount,” Thunderclash smiled. 

“But there’s so many…” Rodimus mumbled. 

“That’s how profoundly you touched all of our lives.” 

“All??” Rodimus’ head snapped up. “Did you make one?” 

“I made the first one!” Thunderclash bragged with a wink. “Riptide wandered into the art studio while I was working on it. When I explained what it was, he wanted to do one too and it kinda snowballed from there. Did you know that his “Best Swimmer” Rodimus Star is one of his prized possessions? He inlaid it into his favorite surfboard.” 

“No way!” Rodimus gasped. “That’s so rad!” 

“Totally!” Thunderclash grinned. “I figured a few other crew members might want to make a medal of their own. Turns out, they all did! So, I met with each person individually and we worked on them together.” 

“Wow! You did all this work? Just for me?” Rodimus asked like he still couldn’t quite accept his genuine adoration. Seeing the physical confirmation of how much his crew cared about him, threatened to overwhelm him. 

“All for you,” Thunderclash confirmed. He reached over and plucked his medal from the display. It featured the winged design on his chest plate filled with enamel that started as vibrant teal near the center and deepened to rich indigo along the edges. A sparkling tongue of golden fire replaced the autobrand in the center. When the glitter enamel caught the light, it seemed to burn like living flame. 

Rodimus accepted the medal with reverence. He met Thunderclash’s optics with a smile. 

“You are quite literally the light of my life,” Thunderclash’s face plates warmed. 

“You’re just saying that because I can burst into flames.” 

“Although your fire is astounding, that’s not the only reason,” Thunderclash smiled. “You are the bravest, strongest, most dynamic person that I have ever met. You’ve accomplished things that other people couldn’t imagine in their wildest dreams!” 

Rodimus turned it over and read the inscription engraved in Thunderclash’s large flamboyant script: “To the truly greatest Autobot of all time.” 

“Wow… really?” Rodimus searched Thunderclash’s face for any hint of insincerity. 

“Absolutely,” Thunderclash nodded. He never felt comfortable with people calling him that. Especially when he always thought of Rodimus as so much greater than himself. Thunderclash hoped that engraving the message on a medal would help Rodimus accept the title that had always truly been his. 

“I am pretty great, huh?” Rodimus smiled, clutching Thunderclash’s medal to his chest. His face blushed soft pink, highlighting the happy tears shimmering in his cerulean optics. Golden sparks danced along his spoiler. 

“The greatest,” Thunderclash agreed. His massive engine purred. 

“Takes one to know one!” Rodimus grinned, hugging Thunderclash tightly. “Thank you for doing all of this,” He added quietly. 

“It was my genuine pleasure,” Thunderclash returned Rodimus’ embrace. “Wait until you see the rest of the medals. Everyone made such great designs from the silly to the heart-felt.” 

“I can’t wait!” Rodimus’ spoiler bounced. “I’m not going to have to act surprised. Even knowing what it is... I- I’m still blown away. Although I haven’t read all the medals yet, I think this one is my favorite.” He ran his fingers lovingly along Thunderclash’s contribution. 

“It’s my favorite, too, but I might be a little biased,” Thunderclash smiled his easy lopsided grin. 

Rodimus smiled and Thunderclash melted. Helping Rodimus realize how much everyone cares about him was worth every late night and early morning in the art studio. While a few chips of colorful enamel couldn’t erase years of deeply hidden self-doubt, the sentiment behind the medals made manifest things that people have trouble putting into words. Although it was a little unconventional, it was important. 

“We should get going.” Thunderclash bundled up the medal cases under one arm and Rodimus slid under the other, snuggling against his side. 

“I dunno. We’ve got a little a few minutes,” A mischievous grin twisted across Rodimus’ face. Thunderclash’s plating shivered as he felt a slight familiar pressure against his ticklish side panel. 

“Oh no you don’t!” Thunderclash laughed and quickly switched his grip. He effortlessly scooped Rodimus up and slung him over his shoulder, far out of reach of his ticklish spot. Maybe Velocity could adjust those circuits’ sensitivity. 

“Hey! No fair!” Rodimus yelped. He wriggled around until he was comfortably nestled between Thunderclash’s armored pauldron and his shoulder cannon. “You realize I’m going to have to duck every time you go through a door if I stay up hear.” 

“You’ll figure it out.” Thunderclash bounced in an exaggerated shrug to playfully jostle the radiant speedster perched on his shoulder. “After all, you are the greatest Autobot of all time.” 

“Yeah... Yeah. I am!” Rodimus muttered, slightly uncertain at first but growing in confidence with each word he spoke. His engine purred as he brandished the enamel replica of Thunderclash’s chest decal. “And I finally have the medal to prove it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What a wild ride!! This week was a blast!! I had a great time writing this sweet, sweet fluff and responding to all your awesome comments!! Thank you to everyone for all the love and support!! And welcome aboard the good ship Rodiclash!!

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thank you for reading!
> 
> I appreciate your kudos and love reading your comments!!
> 
> You can find me on tumblr at:[lush-specimen.tumblr.com](lush-specimen.tumblr.com)


End file.
